Emergency transmitter



' Feb. 2; 1943. H. B. CANON ET AL EMERGENCY TRANSMITTER Filed ma 5, 1941'2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 2, 1943. H. B. CANON ETAL EMERGENCY TRANSMITTERFiled May 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 2, 1943 2,310,017 F ICEEMERGENCY TRAN SMITTER Hartman B. Canon, Deerfield, and Joseph L.Swallow, Lombard, 111., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, ofone-half to Wells-Gardner & Co.,

Chicago,

111., a. corporation of Illinois, and one-half to Gard-Well Co., Inc.,Chicago, 111.,- a corporation of Illinois Application May 5, 1941,Serial No. 391,818

13 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a radio transmitter for use on landand in water, to transmit signals for indicating its location.

An important object of the invention is in the provision of a portabletransmitter having an extensible antenna and a bottom wheel supportadapting it to be readily moved about when not in use and the antennaextended when a signal is to be discharged.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of an emergencytransmitter having a closed floatation casing and an extensible ballastto hold the casing in predetermined upright position even though droppedinto the water.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of anchoring,ballast tripping means and antenna extending means in connection withthe transmitter for automatically placing these parts in operation ifthe transmitter is dropped from an aeroplane.

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of anemergency transmitter comprising a battery, radio transmitting meansactuated by the battery, and variable controlling and indicating meansall housed in a watertight closed container adapted to float in apredetermined position so that a transmitting antenna may be extendedabove the surface of the water, and a stabilizing ballast may beextended below the container tending to hold the transmitter in positionto keep the antenna above the surface of the water.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and willbe apparent from the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an emergency transmitter in accordancewith this invention in compact condition ready for shipment;

Fig. 2 illustrates the transmitter with the antenna partly extended andthe ballast tripping mechanism ready for use;

Fig. 3 shows the transmitter in a floatation position with the antennaand ballast fully extended;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the upper end of the container showing thelocation and supporting means for the transmitting apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a plan section taken on the line 5-5 of Fi 4;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the transmitter;

Fig. 7 is a view partly in section of an antenna loading coil;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9, which is a view similar to Fig. 1, shows a modification withcertainof the exterior features shown in section.

This transmitter is intended to be located at any place either on landor in the water to transmit a signal for indicating its location and forrange finding by triangulation in accordance with the signaltransmitted. It is particularly designed and intended to be carried byships, aeroplanes and airships from which it may be dropped into thewater, or with a parachute attached, it may be dropped slowly over theland. When thus employed, it may indicate the location of a wreck, aniceberg, a. broken tow, and for range finding, if dropped with anattached parachute, it may indicate the location of a fort, an armedforce, or any desired position which may thereupon be determined bymethods of triangulation for directing gun fire and the like.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a metal casing orcontainer it closed at the bottom and open at the top is fitted orpartially filled at the bottom with a battery ll leaving a centralopening l2. A top plate 13 closes the upper end of the casing, and aninterposed gasket M makes a fluid tight connection therefor, the topbeing held tightly in place by a number of fastening screws l5 insertedabout the periphery thereof. I

In the top of the container above the battery is a plate [6 supported bybars I! and lock nuts [8 which hold the plate at a fixed distance fromthe cover l3. Supported above and below the plate I6 are variouscondensers, relays, tubes and other apparatus which constitute the radiotransmitting means, the specific construction and arrangement of whichforms no part of the present invention except that it be sumcient totransmit a radio signal either continuously or intermittently andreceiving power from the battery ll through current leads [9 extendingto the radio apparatus.

At the center of plate I6 is an opening 20 and the radio transmittingapparatus is so disposed that there is no central obstruction in linewith this opening 20 either above or below the plate. The object of thisis to provide an unobstructed free central space for receiving atelescoping antenna 2| composed of a number of sections housed withinthe container but extensible to several times the height of thecontainer. Secured to the cover plate [3 and surrounding the outermostantenna section is a base insulator 22 which holds the antenna free fromcontact with the cover as it passes therethrough.

Attached to one of the telescoping sections 2| is an antenna loadingcoil 23 which is moved outwardly from the container as the sections areextended, but rests against the insulator 22 in its collapsed position.This loading coil preferthumb screw 28 extending outside of the loadingcoil for rotating it in either direction. The rack is maintained inengagement with the pinion by a spring 28a which also completes anelectrical connection with the coil 25 through the rack 26 to the upperend of the antenna, and the lower end of the coil is connected to ameter 29 set into the cover l3 and observable from the top thereof sothat the adjustment of the loading coil may be easily effected and seenfrom the outside of the container.

The container is preferably of greater height than its diameter so thatit will tend to assume an upright position when placed in water, andnormally the upper end will be above the surface of the water. When theantenna is extended, the loading coil 23 is raised above the top of thecontainer to be removed as far as possible from rough water contactwhich might tend to affect the signal.

In order to provide additional stability in the Water, a weight 30 ismounted upon a plate 3| supported at opposite sides by telescopic bars32 which collapse into tubes 33 fixed at opposite sides of thecontainer. tubes are spring pressed latches 34 adapted to engage innotches 35 of the telescopic tubes for holding them in collapsedposition and movable inwardly at their upper ends against their springsto release the tubes from such engagement.

If desired, a drag or anchor 36 may also be attached to the weight bymeans of a cable 31 of suitable length to engage the bottom.

At one side of the ballast plate 31 is a fixed leg or support 38, and atthe opposite sides are rollers 39 together forming a three point supportfor holding the container in upright position, and the rollers providinga wheeling support for moving the container thereon when inclined, asthe complete transmitter including the battery is of considerableweight. At opposite sides of the container are handles 45 to facilitateits movement, handling and wheeling, if desired.

At the top and projecting through the cover I3 is a spring pressed airvalve stem 44 for adding pressure by means of an air pump, within thetransmitter casing, if desired. This provides an easy and simple mannerto determine whether the container is air or fluid tight so that it willnot leak when placed in the water.

In order to automatically trip and extend the ballast and antenna, asfor example, when discharging the transmitter from a height above thewater, a pull cord 40 may be connected through eyes 4| at the upper endsof the Weight latches 34, and this may be connected by a loop 42 to theupper ball or ring 43 of the antenna. As this cord is tightened bytemporarily holding the upper end during the movement of the transmittereither in air or in the water, the latches will be released allowing theextension of the ballast rods 32 and the antenna will be extended to itsfull height. The cord. which is not intended to support the container,will then be broken or disengaged or released allowing full andunobstructed use of the transmitter as a signal.

If the transmitter is dropped slowly from an aeroplane or airship bymeans of a parachute,

the signal may be given oil while descending as Near the bottom of the.

ends tapered from an intermediate portion of maximum diameter located atthe immersion line near the upper end, thus reducing the tendency of thetransmitter to tilt when it is floating. A pontoon 5| may also beattached to or around the casing adjacent the immersion line or theupper end to improve its flotation and stability.

Secured at opposite sides of the casing are hollow tubes 52, eachserving as a cylinder for a plunger 53 slidable therein and connected toa bar 54 attached to the weight plate 31 at the lower end. The lower endof each tube 33 has a restricted bearing portion 55 through which thebar 54 passes, but engages the plunger 53 and limits the downwardmovement of the bar. The upper end of each tube is closed but has aninwardly opening check valve 56 near the top in communication with achemical cartridge 51 which is activated by water entering through thevalve 56 when the transmitter is first dropped into a body of water.When this takes place, the action of the water upon the chemical willimmediately release gas to force the plunger 53 downwardly, the valve 56preventing the escape of pressure, with a consequent quick lowering ofthe weight to a stabilizing position below the casing as also indicatedin Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 9, the fixed leg or support 38 and rollers 39 may beattached directly to the bottom of the casing, projecting below theweight 30 in its raised position. Other power actuated means may beused, such as a spring held by a latch near the top of the tube andreleased by a pull-cord 4E] as shown in Fig. 2 for insuring that thestabilizing weight is lowered as soon as the transmitter is dropped froma. height or discharged into the water.

Various other applications and uses may be made of this transmitter onland and sea, both in ordinary commercial lines and for war .purposes.

We claim:

1. In an emergency radio transmitter, a container, an antenna associatedtherewith and extensible to variable distances from the outsidetherefrom, radio signaling means within the container and connected tothe antenna, and a loading coil electrically connected to the signalingmeans attached to one of the telescoping sections and movable away fromthe container when the antenna is extended,

2. In an emergency radio transmitter, a floatation container weighted atthe bottom, an antenna telescoping in the container and extensible fromthe top, radio signaling means in the container and connected to theantenna, and a loading coil electrically connected to the signalingmeans attached to one of the telescog: sections and moved thereby abovethe immersion line of the container when the antenna is extended.

3. In an emergency radio transmitter, an immersible container having awatertight closed top, an antenna telescoping in the container andextensible outwardly from the outside at the top, an adjustableloading'device carried by one of the antenna sections and moved by itaway from the container when the antenna is extended,

the device being adjustable from the outside of the container, radiosignaling means within the container electrically connected to theloading device, and indicating means in the container top in connectionwith the adjustable loading means and visible from the outside forshowing the variations thereof.

, 4. An emergency radio transmitter comprising a floatation container,radio signaling means within the container, an antenna connected withthe signaling means and extending at the top of the container, atfloatation stabilizing means for the container comprising a weight atthe bottom of the container movably mounted at the sides thereof, andmeans outside of the container for dropping the weight downwardly fromthe container.

5. In a transmitter, according to claim 4, a telescopic mounting at theoutside of the container for the stabilizing Weight and latch means atthe outside of the container for releasing the telescoping mounting todrop the weight relatively to the container.

6. An emergency radio transmitter comprising a floatation container, anantenna collapsing within the container and extensible at the topthereof, radio signaling means within the container connected to theantenna, an extensible stabilizing weight externally mounted at thebottom of the container, latch means for holding the weight inconnection with the container, and means outside of the container forreleasing the latch means to drop the weight and for also extending theantenna when the transmitter is dropped in the air and in the water.

'7. An emergency radio transmitter comprising a floatation containerwith an antenna extending upwardly therefrom, a mounting on the outsideof the container having an extensible portion carrying a stabilizingweight, and releasable power means in connection with the mounting toforce the weight quickly to a lower extended position,

8. In an emergency radio transmitter comprising a floatation container,an upwardly extending antenna, a stabilizing weight at the bottom of thecontainer, a mounting on the outside of the container having extensiblemeans connected to the weight to drop it below the container, and powermeans in connection with the mounting operable upon contact with waterto release the extensible means and force the weight quickly to apredetermined lower position.

9. In an emergency radio transmitter comprising a floatation container,an antenna extending upwardly therefrom, a stabilizing weight, amounting on the outside of the container comprising extensible meansconnected to the weight, pressure means in connection with the mountinoperable upon contact with water to actuate the extensible means toforce the weight quickly to a predetermined position below thecontainer, and a valve in the pressure means to prevent the escape ofpressure therefrom when activated by water admitted thereto.

10. In an emergency radio transmitter, a container, radio signalingmeans within the container, an extensible antenna exteriorly of thecontainer in electrical connection with the signaling means therewithin,and a loading coil electrically connected between the antenna and thesignaling means movable lengthwise with the antenna and toward and fromthe container.

11. An emergency radio transmitter comprising a container open at thetop, a cover receivable over the container top and providing a closuretherefor, means establishing a seal between the cover and the containerwhen the cover is in operative position over the container top, meansfor securing the cover removably in closure position over the containertop to assure maintenance of the seal, a battery within the container atthe lower end thereof, a mounting plate within the container above thebattery and in spaced relation thereto, means for fixedly supporting themounting plate 'below the cover in spaced relation thereto, radiosignaling means fixedly supported on opposite faces of the mountingplate and free of the cover above and the battery below and removable asa unit with the mounting plate when the cover is detached from thecontainer, and an antenna extended from the cover and supported therebyand in electrical connection with the.

radio signaling means within the container.

12. An emergency radio transmitter comprising a container open at thetop, a cover receivable over the container top and providing a closuretherefor, means establishing a seal between the cover and the containerwhen the cover is in operative position over the container top, meansfor securing the cover removably in closure position over the containertop to assure maintenance of the seal, a battery within the container atthe lower end thereof, a mounting plate within the container above thebattery and in spaced relation thereto, means for fixedly supporting themounting plate below the cover in spaced relation thereto, radiosignaling means fixedly supported on opposite faces of the mountingplate and free of the cover above and the battery below and removable asa unit with the mounting plate when the cover is detached from thecontainer, a base support afilxed to the cover extending beyond theupper face thereof and formed with an opening therein, an antennareceivable within the opening in the base support and supported therebyand extended upwardly from the cover, and an electrical connectionbetween the radio signaling means and the antenna.

13. An emergency radio transmitter comprising a container open at thetop, a cover receivable over the container top and providing a closuretherefor, means establishing a seal between the cover and the containerwhen the cover is in operative position over the container top, meansfor securing the cover removably in closure position over the containertop to assure maintenance of the seal, a battery within the container atthe lower end thereof, a mounting plate within the container above thebattery and in spaced relation thereto, means for fixedly supporting themounting plate below the cover in spaced relation thereto, radiosignaling means fixedly sup- HARTMAN B. CANON.

JOSEPH L. SWALLOW.

